WW: You Must Jump
I received today's Wordless Wednesday photo from both Don Funsch of Commercial Mill and Builders Supply and Chuck Park of Fire Door Inspection Service. Be forewarned. Don't exit unless you're willing to be run over.
Cleveland Hill School’s Fire Legacy
Take a close look around the next time you’re in a school building. Notice the fire alarms, extinguishers, rescue windows and frequent drills? They can all be traced back to that fateful day, experts say. “All of that put together has made our school buildings so safe when it comes to fires,” said David G. Hess, Cleveland Hill’s director of facilities. “That fire has really made a difference.”
We need to do this right. – Lt. Joseph A. Hendry Jr. , CLEE
Lt. Joseph A. Hendry Jr. , CLEE - "As I'm reading the open source material on the German plane crash, I keep returning to one thought: Someone developed a fail safe way to keep people out of the cockpit, without adequately thinking about what would happen if the threat was already in the cockpit."
FF: Fire Escape Exit Alarm
This photo may be one of my favorite Fixed-it Friday photos ever. It was sent to me by Michael Carney of Allegion. This application is in place on the roof door and all of the fire escape access doors in a dormitory high-rise. A very creative way to install an exit alarm, but I don't know how secure or how durable it is...
Cook County pushing schools to become safer — with help of Homeland Security
This video offers some good options for school security, along with predicted outcomes of the Sandy Hook lawsuit regarding security glazing and lockable classroom doors. We need to make schools SAFE AND SECURE - these goals are not mutually exclusive.
Schlage NDE Wireless Lock
The Schlage® NDE Series wireless lock with ENGAGE technology has been selected as a finalist in the Architizer A+ Awards in the Hardware category! The winner is determined by the product that gets the most votes...you can vote here until April 3rd!
WW: School Security in the News
The Leelanau County Sheriff's Department received $128,750 from a Michigan State Police school safety grant, and Sheriff Mike Borkovich said every penny will go toward installing a tool designed to make doors impenetrable. "I think it's very much just like a caveman picking up a gigantic rock and putting it on the front of its cave," Borkovich said. "You are not going to be able to go through that door. It buys us time."
WW: Armed Forces Museum
Today's Wordless Wednesday photo was sent to me by Lee Francisco and Jerry Rice of DH Pace. The "Remove for Exit" bar makes this exit non-compliant.
Maneuvering Clearance with Spring Hinges
A question hit my inbox a few weeks ago that I had never considered before: Does a door with spring hinges require the same maneuvering clearance as a door with a door closer?
Panic Problem Follow-Up
Many of you figured out right away that someone has taken fire exit hardware designed for a 3-foot-wide door and installed it on a 4-foot-wide door. The original mechanism tube has been replaced with one from a 4-foot device, and a filler plate fills the area where the wider touchpad should be...
Barricade Device? Think Twice! (May 2015)
I've edited this article and the downloadable PDF - feel free to share it!...There is a question currently under debate in several jurisdictions across the country – should barricade devices be used to secure classroom doors during an active-shooter incident?
FF: Panic Problem
Today's Fixed-it Friday photo was sent in by Rick Turcotte of Horner Commercial Sales. A few questions for you: a) This is a 4'-wide stairwell door. What's wrong with this picture?...
WW: Meanwhile, in Arkansas…
A bill to change the state fire code and allow barricade devices in Arkansas schools is moving through the legislative process, despite "strong objections" from State Police Capt. Lindsey Williams, who serves as state fire marshal. Several politicians including an Arkansas state senator are investors in a company that makes barricade devices - ULockitSecurity...
NASFM: Classroom Door Security and Locking Hardware
The National Association of State Fire Marshals (NASFM) has posted a document on their website which offers that support, by providing guidance on the use of classroom door security and locking hardware. The 6-page document includes a suggested classroom door checklist, with code references for each item on the list...
Infant Abduction
There was an important change to the 2015 International Building Code (IBC) that could help to reduce the occurrence of child abduction from hospitals. Many maternity wards have infant abduction systems that use a sensor to activate a delayed egress lock when a baby is taken near the exit. But for some facilities, delayed egress locks may not be enough...
FF: Cut Once
Today's Fixed-it Friday photo was sent to me by Jeff Tock and Joan Yewell of Allegion. The story I heard was that the contractor didn't know how to remove the lock, and this was how he addressed the problem. It's unfortunate, since the door was supposed to be reused!
Lock Functions (video)
Last week I posted a couple of videos explaining some basic code requirements and terminology for panic hardware. The next videos in the series address a topic that I KNOW many architects and others struggle with (because I've personally explained it at least a thousand times) - lock functions...
WW: Fire Station Fire Door
I've been holding onto these photos for over a year, not knowing exactly how to address the issue of a propped-open fire door in a fire station, of all places. Then I saw a news report about a fire that occurred in a fire station while firefighters were sleeping...
2015 Edition of the Allegion Code Reference Guide
As most of you know, the code development cycle is typically 3 years, which means that the codes are constantly evolving. The 2015 editions of the International Building Code (IBC) and NFPA 101 - The Life Safety Code were recently released, and I have revised the Allegion Code Reference Guide to include these changes...
Construction Concerns: Fire Doors
Two posts in one day! :) I just read an article about fire doors in Fire Engineering, and thought y'all might like it...
Ohio decision will have nationwide impact
If you don't think the Ohio barricade situation applies to you because you don't live in Ohio, or because you don't do school-related work, think again. Please read the article below. It is crucial for us to spread the word about a balanced approach to school security.
FF: Floor Stop Location
The current location of this stop is definitely not working - it is too close to the pivot and it's damaging the door sweep. It could potentially damage the sweep regardless of where it is mounted...
Panic Hardware Basics (video)
Allegion has created several videos using the videoscribe format, including these two about panic hardware. Some of the code information in the "101" video is a bit general and I will eventually make a more in-depth video on this topic (I didn't create the videos below), but what do you think of the format?
WW: Special Knowledge and Effort
Most egress doors are required to be readily openable with no special knowledge or effort. The door must unlatch with one operation, and the operable hardware must be mounted between 34 inches and 48 inches above the floor. There are several problems with this Wordless Wednesday dutch door found at a cell phone store...
Decoded: 2015 IBC Roundtable
If you are a member of the New England Chapter of DHI I hope you already know about this upcoming class, but in case you didn't get the memo...I will be teaching a code class next week along with Jeff Batick, Greg DeGirolamo, Paul Goldense, and Jim White. This class will be available for other DHI chapters to teach, as long as there are a few members who can act as facilitators. If you're interested in hosting the class, drop me an email and I'll get you in touch with the right person at DHI. We are using the 2015 IBC for next week's class, but it could be taught using other editions of the IBC if necessary. The class is worth 9 DHI CEP points, with 4 additional points for the facilitators.
The Columbus Dispatch: Ohio schools can’t use barricades to keep gunmen out
Will lawmakers uphold the codes that have been protecting us for decades, or will they change state laws to satisfy the parents and teachers who are pushing for a change that would sacrifice free egress in favor of inexpensive locking methods?
FF: Missed Opportunity
This Fixed-it Friday news report about replacing entrance doors in multi-family homes makes a few good points, but misses out on the chance to educate people about how their fire doors should operate. I noticed a few things that weren't 100% accurate or could have been more clear...like the statement that you don't need fire doors in your single-family home. I would have mentioned the need for protection between the garage and the house - the International Residential Code requires a solid wood door, or a solid or honeycomb core steel door, or a 20-minute fire door:
Allegion to acquire Zero International
Looking forward to working with my friends at Zero! Here's the latest news from Tim Eckersley to Allegion customers...
WW: Frost Heaves
In the Wordless Wednesday photos below, one door is stuck partially open and the other pair has been taken out of commission. How do you balance the life safety requirements with the feasibility of addressing problems that will probably last for several more weeks if not longer?
State board rules against classroom door blocking devices
The group ultimately raised over $30,000 and purchased the devices, but were then told that the devices did not comply with egress code requirements and a variance would be needed before the devices could be used. The variance hearing for the barricade devices to be used on the district's high school was held yesterday, and the variance request was denied...
Lock Functions for Classrooms – Pros and Cons
On February 12th, the Sandy Hook Advisory Commission released the draft of their final report, presented to Connecticut State Governor Dannel P. Malloy. The report includes many recommendations to improve school security, including several related to locks / physical security...
FF: Power Transfer?
Today's Fixed-it Friday photo from an anonymous friend is a classic example of the coordination problems that can so easily arise when doors, frame, and hardware from multiple vendors arrive on the job-site...
WW: Chained Exit
These photos are the definition of Wordless Wednesday. I saw them posted on the Truck Floor Training Facebook page and asked for permission to share them here...
ALICE does not endorse any brand of barricading devices
When discussing code-compliant security with staff from schools and other types of facilities, I've heard one comment several times..."If ALICE training [the FBI, the Department of Homeland Security, our local police department] advocates the barricading of doors with furniture, why can't we use the door barricade devices that are now on the market?"
Last Decoded Class – Codes for Electrified Hardware
There is one more online class in the series of four that I'm teaching on behalf of the Door & Hardware Institute - this Wednesday, February 18th, 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Eastern. I'll be covering the code requirements pertaining to electrified hardware...
FF: Hinge Pin Stop
I have not yet seen this product (the DoorSaver II) in use, but I've definitely seen distributors enlarging the hole in a residential hinge pin stop in order to use it on a commercial hinge. This looks like an interesting idea...
WW: Shattered security – Surviving Red Lake teacher calls for change
I've written several posts about glass used in schools, and many posts about traditional wired glass (refer to the Glass tab above). A reader recently shared the video below and although it was recorded several years ago it includes very valid information for schools to consider when addressing security. I can't embed the video, so click the graphic to visit the news site.
Close the Door Please, I’m Busy in Here – Kelly M. Byrne
What I like about the Rescue 2 Training post is that it gives the firefighter perspective on why a closed door can be so helpful during a fire. If every firefighter understood the value of fire doors (and other doors), imagine how much more attention the non-compliant doors would get...
FF: Lego Automatic Door Operator
I was a Lego Robotics coach last year, and we barely got our robot to knock down the cups in the maze. This Fixed-it Friday video of a Lego Mindstorm automatic door operator is impressive...
Decoded: Electrified Hardware Refresher (April 2015)
There are 7 basic code categories for electrified hardware used to control access or egress, and this edition of Decoded provides a brief refresher on each as well as some recent code changes. Many of these code applications, but not all, fall into the category commonly called “special locking arrangements.”
WW: Surviving an Active Shooter
This PSA was recently released by the LA County Sheriff's Department. It is a very graphic representation of how to survive an active shooter situation. It is obviously not acceptable for use with kids, but it does show a classroom security lock used by a teacher, as well as a locked exit blocking the escape of a victim...
Baby It’s Cold Outside – Phil Chandler
We've received close to 4 feet of snow in the last week, so when I saw The Inspector's column in this month's e-NewZone monthly newsletter from The Center for Campus Fire Safety, I asked them if I could share it here...
WWYD? Fire Door Closing Cycle
I was asked this question last week - when testing a swinging fire door to determine whether it closes and latches, what degree of opening is used? Do you open the door fully? Does the door have to close and latch from any position?
FF: Scenes from an Italian Restaurant
I really love this restaurant, but every time I go I wonder if someone approved this egress arrangement or it just sorta happened as they were hanging the drapes...
New Products for Oversized Fire Door Clearances
Clearances in excess of those allowed by NFPA 80 are one of the most common problems with fire door assemblies, and can be very difficult to resolve. National Guard Products has just released two new UL Certified accessories for excessive fire door clearances...
WW: Don’t Dowel Doors
Paul Elliott sent me these Wordless Wednesday photos of retail egress issues he has run across. When he mentioned the dowel to a store employee, the employee said, "No problem. We’ll untie it if there’s a fire." No joke.
“Buyer Beware” – Paul Timm, RETA Security
Paul Timm: "For those pursuing alternative solutions, it is important to consider that some schools have installed after-market devices only to find out that code violations require their removal. Buyer beware!"
Fire Doors: The First Line of Defense
This article was published in the January 2015 issue of Locksmith Ledger.
FF: Screwed Up
The card reader in this photo was installed to prevent access to the stairs on the other side of this door. A card reader on the push side of a door with an electric strike and panic hardware doesn't provide security, because you can just push on the touchpad of the panic to exit. To rectify that "problem," someone installed a screw in the panic hardware so the touchpad will not retract the latch.
Security Screens for K-12 Entries
Windows and glass doors are among the most vulnerable access points in a school. Criminals can break glass to climb through or reach in and unlock the entry. The security industry has responded with two solutions to slow down a criminal looking to break into a school building...